Elevator governor testing device



Sept 9, 1958 J. T. sTAUB, JR 2,850,902 l ELEvATVoR GovEENoR TESTINGDEVICE ATTORNEY J. T. STAUB, JR

ELEVATOR GOVERNOR TESTING DEVICE Sept. 9, 1958 4 sheets-sheet 2 4 FiledAug. 17, 1956 INVENTOR (/o/:n T 'au b c/r.

ATTORNY Sept. 9, 1958 J. T. sTAuB, JR 2,850,902

ELEVATOR GOVERNOR TESTING DEVICE Filed Aug. l?. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3F7625. FIG''. FVG'- Z F/GZ FIG. S. F76'. l0.

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ELEvAToR GOVERNOR TESTING DEvIcE Filed Aug. 1v, 1956 y 4 Sheets-SheetflFvg. /a

ATTORNEY United States Patent O ELEVATOR GOVERNR TESTING DEVICE John T.Staub, Jr., Baltimore, Md., assignor of one-half to Harold S. Bennett,Baltimore, Md.

Application August 17, 1956, Serial No. 604,810

7 Claims. (Cl. 73-432) The present invention relates to an apparatus ordevice for testing the governor mechanism for elevator cars whichprevents an elevator car from descending in excess of a predeterminedspeed, The device is particularly adaptable to instances of fallingelevators where some type of mechanical failure has occurred, such as, abroken car cable, broken shafts, or gearing in connection with thesupporting elements for the elevator car, or by failure in equipment.

Most States and cities have regulations which state at what speed adescending elevator may not exceed. In general, it is believed, thatmost of the regulations set a bracket of percentages in speed over whichthe elevator car cannot exceed its normal speed. If the elevator doesexceed the percentage of the normal speed of the elevator car thegovernor will operate to release a set of emergency brakes carried bythe elevator car to stop the car immediately regardless of its positionwithin the shaft. The governor is operated by the movement of the car upand down, or along the elevator shaft and when the elevator exceeds apredetermined speed it causes certain mechanical functions to come intoplay that will apply these emergency, or safety brakes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an elevator governortesting device which may be temporarily carried on the car or on acounter-weight which will operate the governor at a speed in excess ofthe downward speed of the elevator car or counter-Weight as theyactually move downwardly along the elevator shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device which Willbe economical to lmanufacture an practical in its application.

A further object 'of the invention is to provide such a device that maybe operated with a substantial saving in both time and labor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device in which nomajor changes in the elevator equipment is necessary. to carry out thetest.

.Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device for thepurpose stated in which the test may be carried out without any undueshock to the elevator car.

While several objects of the invention have been pointed out, otherobjects may become apparent including its uses and advantages as thenature of the invention is more fully disclosed, consisting, in itsnovel construction, combination and arrangement of its several parts asillustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the detaildescription thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevational end view of the operating elements of thedevice, such as the drum units and drum units supporting frame foroperating the governor operating means.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of the drumunits and supporting frame shown in Figure 1 adjacent their centers. p

Figure 3 is an elevational end view of a slightly dif- Faterated Sept.9, 1958 ferent form for the drum unit elements mentioned in Figure l,the elements being in a different operating ratio as to each other thanthat shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the drum units and supporting frame shown inFigure 1.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show diagrammatically the various steps in the useland of the testing device to an elevator car in which a predeterminedpercentage of speed is added to the governor operating means over andabove the actual speed of the elevator car.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 shows diagrammatically the various steps in the useand application of the testing device to the elevator car in which ahigher percentage of speed is added to the governor operating means overand above the actual speed of the elevator car than that shown inFigures 5, 6 and 7.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevational end detail View of one of theoperating elements for operating the-governor operating means used asillustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. f

Figure l2 is an elevational view of the details of a supporting standcarried by the elevator .car for receiving the drum unit supportingframe.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the stand shown in Figure 12.

In referring to the drawings like reference characters are used toindicate like and similar parts throughout the several views.

In describing the invention, the term elevator when used alone is usedto designate the elevator car and the elevator shaft.

The governor operating means refers to a pair of interconnectableoperatable drums, or similar cylinder elements of different diameters,however, the broad terminology is also intended to include any meanswhatsoever for -operating the governor at a speed greater than theactual speed of the elevator car as it is moved down the elevatorshaft.v The governor operating element per sev is illustrated by amovable cable which is normally fixed to an emergency brake applyingelement or bar carried on the elevator car. The cable travels up anddown the elevator shaft at the same speed as the speed of the elevatorcar which in turn operates the governor during any movement of theelevator car. The governor is provided with means for locking thegovernor operating cable should the governor be increased in speed abovea predetermined percentage beyond the normal speed of the elevator car.

Any restraint or locking the further movement of the cable will cause apull on the brake applying bar and cause the operation of the emergencybrake carried by the elevator car and prevent its further'downwardmovement along the elevator shaft, all of which will be referred to inmore detail hereinafter.

Again this governor operating means may take various forms within themeaning of the invention, that is, it may be as illustrative in the formof a pair of rotatable drums, or it may be a rotatable shaft adapted tobe rotated by the actual movement of the elevator car and at anypredetermined speed ratio with the actual speed of elevator car alongthe elevator shaft. While the description is primarily described for theuse of the device with an elevator car, the device is equally useful intesting the governors of counter-weights which are generally in use inunusually high buildings.

Generally, the elevator car is guided along a vertical elevator shaft.This is best illustrated in Figures 5 to l0, in which, an elevator car20 is guided along a vertical elevator shaft by the side members 22. Thecars are moved vertically along the shafts preferably by conventionalelectrically operated machinery carried in the housings 24 shown at thetop of each shaft, the elevator car being supported by cables 26 inwhich one end is attached to the car and the other end adapted to bewound upon a winding drum (not shown) of the operating machinery, whichin turn is roperated by an electric motor of either alternating ordirect current. It should also be understood the same or similarprinciple of operation applies when the elevator car lifting cablesl arepassed over the upper half of a lifting drum and depend on tractionalengagement therewith and have the opposite ends of the cable supportingthe usual counterweight structure. The device may likewise be used totest the governors of hydraulic lifts, or any other standard type ofmechanism used in operating elevator cars.

All passengerV elevator cars of any consequence are required to have ameans for preventing the car from descending at too fast a rate ofspeed. For example, the supporting cable may break and allow the car tofall freely, or the operating machine may fail and allow the windingdrum to run freely which may allow the elevator car to move beyond itsnormal rate of speed. Therefore, under any condition when the cardescends at a speed greater than the predetermined normal speed of theelevator car, the emergency brake engages the shaft and stops the carwherever it may be along the shaft.

This emergency braking mechanism is carried on the car and when placedinto braking operation is extended to engage the guide members 22,which, within a reasonable distance will halt the descent of the car.These brakes (not shown) are operated by what is generally referred toas a governor as shown at 28 in Figures 5 to 10. These governors aregenerally operated by a small endless cable 29 supported at the bottomof the elevator shafts by pulleys 30. The upper ends of the cables aresupported upon pulleys 31, which in turn operate the governors 28. Thecables are operated by the elevator cars by attaching the cable to thelink and swinging bar assemblies 32 indicated diagrammatically extendingoutwardly from the car in line with one side of the cable, as shown bythe dotted lines in Figures to 10. This link and bar 32 is connectedwith the braking mechanism of the elevator car and will trip the braketo bring it in engagement with the guide members 22 when sufcientresistance or locking is encountered in the movement of the cable. Aslong as the car moves at normal speed up and down the shaft the cablerolls freely about the pulleys 30 and 31 operating the gover-` nor,which is shown to be of the centrifugal type, however the invention isnot limited to this type alone. The governor assembly is provided withclutch elements 33 and 34, see Figures 5 to 10. In Figures 5 and 8 theclutch elements 33 and 34 are shown in position to allow the governoroperating cable to pass freely therethrough to operate the centrifugalgovernor 28. However, if the car moves beyond a predetermined speed thegovernor will be further expanded by the outward swing of the governorand cause the clutch to move to a position shown in Figures 6, 7, 9 and10 to grip the cable 22 and resist further free movement of the cable,whereby a pull is exerted on the bar 32 sufficient to apply theemergency brakes on the elevator car.

It may be well to state here that the normal braking of the car is donethrough the operating mechanism carried within the housing 24 previouslymentioned and only the emergency brakes are carried on the car.`

As stated in the beginning, one of the objects of the invention is toincrease the speed of the governor operating element above the actualspeed of the elevator car when the car is in motion by a true speedratio between the speed of the car and the speed of the governoroperating means. The governor operating means `in this case being thecable 64, the actual device and the manner in which it is accomplishedwill be set forth in detail a the description proceeds.

The principal elements ofthe device comprise -a pair of interconnectedrotatable drums 36 and 38. Drum 36 is referred to as the primary elementof the drum unit and is the larger of the two, and drum 38 is referredto as the secondary element of the drum unit and is the smaller of thetwo. These drums are preferably provided with parallel cylindricalsurfaces. The diameters of these drums are of definite ratios inrelation to each other, that is, the circumference of the smaller drumis, for example, smaller by a predetermined percentage than thecircumference of the larger drum.

The drum shown in Figures 5 to 7 has a circumference which is fortypercent of the circumference of the larger drum and the drum shown inFigure 3 and Figures 8 to l0 has a circumference fifteen percent of thelarger drum. The ratio between the different sized inter-connected drumsmay be varied depending upon the type of elevator car, emergency brakingsystem and governor being tested and the circumstances under which thetests are being made. The two drums are interconnected as statedhereinbefore and rotate as a unit upon a common axis. Through the axisof the two drums are suitable bearings adapted to be receivable over anaxle 40. The axle 40 extends outwardly beyond the opposite ends of thedrums a sufficient distance to support the drum unit upon a frame havingnormally a vertical portion 41 and a horizontal portion 42.

While it has been stated that the drum unit and frame may be held by onecarrying out the test, the installation and use of the drum will only bedescribed with the use of a stand as shown in Figures 12 and 14 tosupport the drum unit and frame, as its operation in either case issubstantially the same regardless of the manner in which it is carriedon the elevator car.

The stand 43 may be of any desirable type or shape, the one illustratedcomprising a plurality of legs 44, 45, 46 and 47. These legs have oneend connected with a base member 48. The base is normally secured to oneor more cross-members 49 of the elevator by any suitable convenient andsuitable means such as bolts 50. The upper ends of the legs are providedwith suitable supporting members 51, 52, 53 and 54, which are adapted toengage the underside of the frame portion 42, which has been previouslydescribed for rotatably supporting the drum unit.

The members 51 and 52 positioned on top of legs 44 and 4S are of U-shapeand are adapted to receive the portions 42 and 42" of the frame element42 in such a manneras to prevent any side transverse movement, that is,the U-shaped members extend the entire length of each ofthe sections 42and 42" to engage the frame 42 where it is bent at right angles onitself, shown best in Figure 4 and the members 53 and 54 are adapted toreceive the end portions 42 of the framemember 42.

In the lower end of the vertical member 41 there is an eye bolt 56 andin the base of the stand there is a similar eye bolt 58 through which abreakable cord or rope 60 may be threaded and tautly tied to hold thedrums and frame in position on the stand against any normal pull. Afterthe drum and frame unit has been placed upon the stand and the cord 60secured between the eye bolts 56 and 58, a cable 62 which has been fullywound upon the drum 36 and one end thereof attached thereto by the cableclamp 63 rotates the drum unit by an unwinding operation when theelevator car is moved downwardly, the operation of which will be laterdescribed.

Secured to the smaller drum 38 is one end of a cable 64. This cable isnot Wound upon the drum before hand, as .is done with cable 62, for thereason that the cable 64 is wound upon the drum 38 as the cable 62 isbeing unwound from the drum 36.

When it is desirable to change the ratio between the surfaces of the twodrums, the larger drum is generally not changed, the smaller orsecondary drum or drum element is removed from the shaft of the largedrum, and a smaller drum of different ratio is secured to the largeraaeaeoe V drum in place of the one removed. The smaller drums each inturn are held and fixedly secured to the larger drum by means similar tothe bolt 68. The bolt 68 is readily removable in order that the drumsmay be disconnected and freely rotated independently of each other foradjusting the lengths of the cables of the two drums at the beginning ofthe testing operation. A drum having a surface of 40 percent of the sizeof the larger drum is shown in Figures l and 4, and a drum having asurface of percent of the size of the larger drum is shown fragmentarilyin Figures 2 and 3.

To start the governor test, the stand is secured to the top ofl theelevator car by the bolts 50 or by some other attaching means. The frame41-42 on which the drum units 36 and 38 have been rotatably supported isplaced upon the upper surfaces of the members 51 to 54 carried on theupper ends of the legs 44 to 47, and the tie 6o is threaded through theeyes 56 and 58 and tightly drawn and tied. It will be noted that thestand is free to move downwardly from the drum and frame unit because ofthe shape of the rests 51 to 54, when the tie 60 is broken by the actionof the locking of the governor operating cable.

The emergency brake cable is disconnected from the emergency brakeoperating link and swinging bar assembly 32 and the link in turn is thendisconnected from the elevator car by disconnecting the same from theswinging bar assembly attached to the elevator for purposes of fullyfreeing the governor cable 29 from the elevator car before the start ofthe test. The free end of the cable 62 as referred to above, asidentified with the fully wrapped larger drum 36, has this free endsecured to a convenient stationary place on, or adjacent a point in theelevator shaft, as shown at 67 in Figures 5 to l0. One end of the cable64 which has been secured to the smaller drum, as shown at 69 by-theclamp 70 is attached to the cable 29 as indicated diagrammatically at 71in Figures 5 to 10. This cable at the beginning of the test is adaptedto be wound upon the smaller drum as the cable 62 is unwound from thelarger drum 36.

Referring first to Figures 8 to l0, as this is the drum unit having a 40percent ratio between the Winding surfaces of the two drums. At thestart of the test the car is in the position as shown in Figure 8. Asthe car is moved down in the direction of the arrow, the cable 62wrapped about the longer drum 36 will rotate the drum unit consisting ofthe drums 36 and 38. The cable 64 will wind about the smaller drummoving the governor operating cable 40 percent faster than it normallywould travel if connected with the brake release lbar 32. If thegovernor is set to operate the cable clutch elements 33 and 34 to engagethe governor operating cable 29 at 40 percent over the normal speed ofthe elevator, the governor should function, if not, the governor isreset to function at the proper speed. For illustration, it is assumedthe governors reached a point to operate the clutch members 33 and 34 atthe position of the elevator car, as shown in Figure 9. As the governoroperating cable 29 is not connected with the emergency brake operatingbar 32, the resistance in travel of the cable does not effect the brake,but as the cable slows down and/or stops, it will not effect themovement of the car. The car will continue on until stopped by theoperator. However, as both cables are now held at a stationary pointsomewhere along the elevator shaft, the tie 60 is broken, and the drumand frame unit will be held stationary while the car and stand continueto descend until stopped by the operator.

By the apparatus and method just described for testing the governors foroperating the emergency brake on elevator cars, the governors and theclutches adapted to engage the governor operating cables may be testedby the actual operation of the elevator cars along the elevator shaft toobtain a true by ratio test.

In Figures 5 to 7, the exact same steps are taken to test an elevatorgovernor set to apply the emergency brake to the elevator car should therate of the descending car exceed its normal speed by l5 percent.

j vWhile the maximum speedof the car is usually used in testing thegovernor, it may be done by increasing the circumference of the smallerdrum to operate the governor cable at a greater speed than the ratio setup between the maximum speed of the elevator car and the governor,lthatis, within limits, the speed of the governor operating element may besuch as to operate the governor at the desired speed to cause thegovernor to apply the emergency brake to the elevator car while theelevator car may only be moving at a speed well below its maximum speed.In fact, the smaller drum may easily become the larger drum, if it wasdesigned to operate the governor operating cable at a relatively highspeed with a very slow speed to the movement of the elevator car.

A method of attaching the cable to the small drum is shown in Figure ll,which comprises studs 55, which grip the cable 64 as they extend throughsuitable openings in the drum, as shown in Figures 2 and l1.

Most all elevator cars of any consequence are provided withcounter-weights. In one form the weights may be fastened to cables whichare fastened to the top of the elevator car, and extend upwardly andover a pulley and down to the counter-weight. Part 'of the function ofthese counter-weights is to balance the normal weight of the elevatorcar. .These counterbalances in elevator cars in particularly highbuildings are in many cases provided with their own individual governorand emergency braking equipment. The governors on the counter-weightsmust also be tested. These are tested with the identical apparatus byplacing the drum units on the counter-weights and connecting the cableconnected to the smaller drum to the governor control cable for thecounter-weight and the cable wound around the larger drum to astationary point adjacent the elevator shaft in a manner as thatdescribed in testing the governor for the elevator car.

It will be seen that the same device may be used for testing themechanism of both the elevator car, or the counter-weight or, in fact,the present mechanism may be used to test any type of governor or anyelement that moves up and down the elevator shaft.

As stated hereinbefore, most regulations require that elevator cars havean emergency braking mechanism which will operate to stop the car, ifthe car is moving from 15 percent to 40 percent over the normal speed.By the use of the present device it is readily seen how the ratio of thespeed of the governor operating cable is increased to any desired speedin relation to the speed of the elevator car to check von the governorto ascertain if it is operating at the set designated speed for thatparticular elevator car.

The present Iapparatus provides for the necessary increased speed of thegovernor operating means by the operation of the elevator car itselfwithout the necessity of increasing the normal speed of the car, whichalways required considerable changes in the driving means for theelevator car and may also include adjustments to the electric motor usedin the operation of the car. In some instances where alternatingelectric current is used to operate the elevator car, it is next tobeing impossible to increase the speed of the motor beyond its normalspeed.

While a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail, it is not intended as a limitation as it is obvoiusthat various changes and moditications of the device may be made withoutdeparting from the principles set forth herein, therefore, the scope ofthe invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for testing the governors for operating the brakes onover-speeding elevator cars including a detachable operating meansnormally connected between the car and governor for operating thegovernor at a predetermined speed relative to the speed of the elevator,said aparatus comprising, Va primary operatable means adapted to beoperated by the movement of the elevator car and a secondary operatablemeans connected with the primary operatable means, adapted to operatethe governor operating means at a speed in excess of its normal speedrelative to the same speed of the elevator.

2. An apparatus for testing the governor operating the brakes onover-speed elevator cars, comprising, in combination, a differentialspeed device having a pair of inter-connected rotatable drums ofdiierent diameters, one of the said drums having means for rotating thesame at a surface speed equal to that of the downward speed of the car,means connecting the other drum with a governor operating means formoving the governor operating means at a speed in excess of the downwardspeed of the car equal to the ratio between the diameters of the twodrums.

3. An apparatus for testing the governors operating the brakes onoverspeeding counter-weights, comprising, in

combination, a differential speed device adapted to be carried by thecounter-weight having a pair of inter connected rotatable drums havingcylindrical faces of different diameters, the cylindrical face with thelarger diameter having means for rotating the same at a surface speedequal to that of the downward vertical speed of the counter-weight,means connecting the cylinder with the lesser diameter with a governoroperating means for moving the governor operating means at a speed inexcess of the downward speed of the counter-weight equal to the ratiobetween the diameters of the two cylinders.

4. An apparatus for testing the governors operating the brakes onover-speeding elevator cars, comprising, in combination, a pair ofconnected rotatable drums of different diameters carried by theelevator, a exible cable wrapped about the larger of the drums and meansfor Xedly securing the outer end of the cable to a stationary element insuch a manner as to rotate the drum at a surface speed substantiallyequal to that of the downward speed of the elevator car as the elevatorcar is moved downwardly, a second cable connected to the smaller drumand adapted to be wound thereon as both drums are rotated by the firstmentioned cable wound about the larger drum, the opposite end of thesecond mentioned cableconnected with the smaller drum being connectedwith Va cableoperating the governor, whereby the cable connected withthe governor is moved at a speedY equal to the speed of 4the elevatorcar plus the ratio of the differences between the diameters of the twodrums.

5. ln an apparatus for testing governors operating the brakes onover-speeding `elevator cars as set forth in claim 4 having a stand forsupporting the drums thereon, the drums being free to be detachedupwardly from the stand by t'ne downward motion of the elevator car, aholding means of predetermined strength adapted to hold the drumsdownwardly in place upon the stand until such time as the governoroperates to stop the governor operating cable.

6. An apparatus for testing the governors operating the brakes onover-speeding elevator cars, comprising, yin, combination, adifferential speed device adapted to be carried by the elevatorcarhaving a pair of interconnected rotatable drumshaving` cylindricalfaces of different diameters, the cylindrical face with the largerdiameter having means for rotating the same at a surface speed equal tothat of the downward vertical speed of the elevator car, meansconnecting the cylinder with the lesser diameter'with a governoroperating means for moving the governor operating means at a speed inexcess of the downward speed of the elevator car equal tor the ratiobetween the diameters of the two cylinders.

7. An apparatus for testing the governors operating the brakes onover-speeding elevator cars as set forth in claim 6 in which the drummembers are rotatably supported upon a stand 'carried by the elevatorcar, the drums being detachable'from the stand by the downward movementof the elevator car when the pull on the drums exceeds apredetermined'amount.

References'Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS735,395 Lindstrom Aug. 4, 1903 1,534,291 MacAskill Apr. 21, 1925 FOREIGNPATENTS 17,715 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1899

